
This year marked the 70th anniversary of the European Council for Nuclear Research, which is known universally as CERN. To celebrate, we have published a bumper crop of articles on particle and nuclear physics in 2024. Many focus on people and my favourite articles have definitely skewed in that direction. So let’s start with the remarkable life of accelerator pioneer Bruno Touschek. Born in Vienna in 1921 to a Jewish mother, Bruno Touschek’s life changed when Nazi Germany annexed Austria in 1938. After suffering antisemitism in his hometown and then in Rome, he inexplicably turned down an offer to study in the UK and settled in Germany. There he worked on a “death ray” for the military but was eventually imprisoned by the German secret police. He was then left for dead during a forced march to a concentration camp in 1945. When the war ended a few weeks later, Touschek’s expertise came to the attention of the British, who occupied north-western Germany. He went on to become a leading accelerator physicist and you can read much more about the extraordinary life of Touschek in this article by the physicist and biographer Giulia Pancheri. Today, the best atomic clocks would only be off by about 10 ms after running for the current age of the universe. But, could these timekeepers soon be upstaged by clocks that use a nuclear, rather than an atomic transition? Such nuclear clocks could rival their atomic cousins when it comes to precision and accuracy. They also promise to be fully solid-state, which means that they could be used in a wide range of commercial applications. This year saw physicists make new measurements and develop new technologies that could soon make nuclear clocks a reality. Click on the headline above to discover how physicists in the US have fabricated all of the components needed to create a nuclear clock made from thorium-229. Also, earlier this year physicists in Germany and Austria showed that they can put nuclei of the isotope into a low-lying metastable state that could be used in a nuclear clock. You can find out more here: “ Excitation of thorium-229 brings a working nuclear clock closer ”. In 2024 we launched our Physics World Live series of panel discussions. In September, we explored the future of particle physics with Tara Shears of the UK’s University of Liverpool, Phil Burrows at the University of Oxford in the UK and Tulika Bose at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the US. Moderated by Physics World ’s Michael Banks, the discussion focussed on next-generation particle colliders and how they could unravel the mysteries of the Higgs boson and probe beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. You can watch a video of the event by clicking on the above headline (free registration) or read an article based on the discussion here: “ How a next-generation particle collider could unravel the mysteries of the Higgs boson ”. Neutrinos do not fit in nicely with the Standard Model of particle physics because of their non-zero masses. As a result some physicists believe that they offer a unique opportunity to do experiments that could reveal new physics. In a wide-ranging interview , the particle physicist Juan Pedro Ochoa-Ricoux explains why he has devoted much of his career to the study of these elusive subatomic particles. He also looks forward to two big future experiments – JUNO and DUNE – which could change our understanding of the universe. “Children decide quite early in their life, as early as primary school, if science is for them or not,” explains Çiğdem İşsever – who is leads the particle physics group at DESY in Hamburg, and the experimental high-energy physics group at the Humboldt University of Berlin. İşsever has joined forces with physicists Steven Worm and Becky Parker to create ATLAScraft, which creates a virtual version of CERN’s ATLAS detector in the hugely popular computer game Minecraft . In this profile , the science writer Rob Lea talks to İşsever about her passion for outreach and how she dispels gender stereotypes in science by talking to school children as young as five about her career in physics. İşsever also looks forward to the future of particle physics and what could eventually replace the Large Hadron collider as the world’s premier particle-physics experiment. This year marked the 70th anniversary of the world’s most famous physics laboratory, so the last two items in my list celebrate that iconic facility nestled between the Alps and the Jura mountains. Formed in the aftermath of the Second World War, which devastated much of Europe, CERN came into being on 29 September 1954. That year also saw the start of construction of the Geneva-based lab’s proton synchrotron, which fired-up in 1959 with an energy of 24 GeV, becoming the world’s highest-energy particle accelerator. The original CERN had 12 member states and that has since doubled to 24, with an additional 10 associate members. The lab has been associated with a number of Nobel laureates and is a shining example of how science can bring nations together after a the trauma of war. Read more about the anniversary here . When former physicist James Gillies sat down for dinner in 2009 with actors Tom Hanks and Ayelet Zurer, joined by legendary director Ron Howard, he could scarcely believe the turn of events. Gillies was the head of communications at CERN, and the Hollywood trio were in town for the launch of Angels & Demons. The blockbuster film is partly set at CERN with antimatter central to its plot, and is based on the Dan Brown novel. In this Physics World Stories podcast , Gillies looks back on those heady days. Gillies has also written a feature article for us about his Hollywood experience: “ Angels & Demons, Tom Hanks and Peter Higgs: how CERN sold its story to the world ”. Note: The verification e-mail to complete your account registration should arrive immediately. However, in some cases it takes longer. Don't forget to check your spam folder. If you haven't received the e-mail in 24 hours, please contact customerservices@ioppublishing.org .Kolkata, Dec 29 (PTI) The Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC), India on Sunday proposed the introduction of a “faceless” GST audit system to boost ease of doing business in the country. The apex engineering exports promotion body’s proposal comes following the successful implementation of ‘faceless assessment’ by the Income Tax department. “The faceless GST audit system, by using technology and ensuring anonymity, will reduce compliance costs. A faceless system will streamline procedures allowing MSMEs to focus on growth and innovation,” said Pankaj Chadha, chairman of EEPC India. The proposal is a part of EEPC India’s Budget 2025 recommendation. By introducing a “faceless” GST audit system, India can further improve its ranking in the Ease of Doing Business index, making it a more attractive destination for foreign investors, it said. It also proposed that Reverse Charge Mechanism (RCM) related liabilities should be eligible for the ‘Amnesty Scheme’ to address challenges faced by exporters, who may be unaware of foreign bank charges and foreign business services. PTI BSM RBT This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );Lions CBs Terrion Arnold, Ennis Rakestraw Jr. out vs. Colts
Fox News' Trey Yingst provides details on the search for Austin Tice following the fall of Assad. Sisters Meagan and Naomi Tice express frustration with the Biden administration's failure to locate their brother, who they believe is still alive. An American who was released this week after being held in a Syrian prison for seven months has been flown out of the country on a U.S. military helicopter, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Travis Timmerman, who was among thousands of prisoners freed by rebels who overthrew former President Bashar al-Assad over the weekend, said after his release that he had been on a Christian pilgrimage when he illegally crossed into the country seven months ago and was detained. He told The Associated Press that, along with another Syrian man, the "liberators" freed him with around 70 women, some of whom were also being held with their children. Timmerman said that he wasn’t treated badly while he was held in the infamous Syrian intelligence facility known as Palestine Branch. TRUMP'S PLEDGE AGAINST ‘FOREVER WARS’ COULD BE TESTED WITH SYRIA IN HANDS OF JIHADIST FACTIONS In this undated photo, Travis Timmerman sits on a porch swing in Urbana, Missouri. (Stacey Collins Gardiner via AP) But he told the Al-Arabiya TV network that he could hear other men being tortured in the prison every day. "It was OK. I was fed. I was watered," said Timmerman. "The one difficulty was that I couldn’t go to the bathroom when I wanted to. I was not beaten, and the guards treated me decently." He was allowed out of his cell three times a day to go to the bathroom. After Assad’s overthrow, he said the rebels came to the prison and "knocked the door down (of his cell) with a hammer." Timmerman was first seen in video that emerged online Thursday after rebels seized Damascus, the country’s capital. Travis Timmerman speaking with reporters on Thursday after his release. (Abdulaziz Ketaz/AFP via Getty Images) SYRIA'S LIBERATED POLITICAL PRISONS REVEAL GRIM REALITY OF BASHAR ASSAD'S REGIME OF TORTURE In the video, a bearded Timmerman was lying on a mattress under a blanket in what appeared to be a private house. A group of men in the video said he was being treated well and would be safely returned home, The Associated Press reported. Palestine Branch, also known as Branch 235, houses nearly a dozen buildings hidden behind high concrete walls, according to The New York Times. Human Rights Watch reported more than a decade ago that prisoners there were subjected to torture, including electrocutions and beatings. "The guards hung me by my wrists from the ceiling for eight days," a former prisoner told the organization in 2012. "After a few days of hanging, being denied sleep, it felt like my brain stopped working. I was imagining things. My feet got swollen on the third day. I felt pain that I have never felt in my entire life. It was excruciating. I screamed that I needed to go to a hospital, but the guards just laughed at me." Many prisoners would also die of illnesses or starvation under the deplorable conditions. Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown by rebels over the weekend. (Getty Images) At another notorious Syrian prison known as Sednaya, The Free Press, in collaboration with the Center for Peace Communications, also discovered testimonies of torture and executions while investigating it after the fall of Assad’s regime this week. "They would call out names at dawn, strip the prisoners of their clothes, and take them away," a former inmate told The Free Press. "We knew from the sound of chains on the platforms that these were executions. Condemned prisoners wouldn’t be fed for three days prior. Once a month, they would search us. During one such search, an officer declared, ‘We’re not here to inspect; we’re here to kill.’" Since the thousands of prisoners were released, loved ones have been searching for signs of those who went missing in the barbaric prisons. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "We slept on top of each other," one woman, who said she had been held at Palestine Branch for four and a half months in 2020 along with dozens of other women, told The New York Times. "They did not feed us, they beat us." Fox News' Stephen Sorace and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
By BILL BARROW, Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A president from Plains A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. And then, the world Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” ‘An epic American life’ Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. A small-town start James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. ‘Jimmy Who?’ His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Accomplishments, and ‘malaise’ Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. ‘A wonderful life’ At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” ___ Former Associated Press journalist Alex Sanz contributed to this report.
Carter, 39th president, dies at 100Rivals NYCFC, Red Bulls prepare for first playoff clash
CJ Donaldson has two short TD runs, West Virginia beats UCF 31-21 to become bowl eligibleMetLife Inc. stock falls Monday, underperforms market
In a groundbreaking development in robotics, Figure AI has successfully delivered its advanced Figure 02 humanoid robots to their inaugural paying customer. This milestone marks a significant leap forward in the integration of humanoid robots into practical use. Figure AI’s Achievement The shipment of these robots highlights Figure AI’s pivotal role in advancing the robotics industry. By providing their humanoid solutions to commercial entities, Figure AI is setting the stage for widespread adoption of robotic assistance in various fields. Advanced Capabilities These state-of-the-art robots are equipped with sophisticated capabilities that allow them to perform tasks that were previously challenging for machines. Designed with cutting-edge technology, the humanoids can interact seamlessly with human environments, showcasing their potential to revolutionize the workplace. Impact on the Market This successful delivery represents not only a triumph for Figure AI but also signifies a growing trend towards the utilization of robots in everyday applications. As these robots enter the workforce, they are expected to enhance efficiency and productivity, offering a glimpse into the future of human-machine collaboration. Future Prospects With this initial deployment, the stage is set for further innovations and implementations. Figure AI’s groundbreaking move indicates an exciting era where humanoid robots could become a staple in industries around the globe, transforming how businesses operate and how tasks are approached. Figure AI’s achievement is a testament to the evolving capabilities of technology and its endless possibilities for enhancing modern life. Revolutionizing Robotics: Figure AI’s New Humanoid Robots are Here An Overview of Figure AI’s Humanoid Robots In an impressive stride within the robotics industry, Figure AI has introduced its advanced Figure 02 humanoid robots to a paying customer for the first time. This milestone is not only a testament to Figure AI’s pioneering work but also an indicator of the new era of humanoid robots poised to become integral in various sectors. Cutting-Edge Features and Specifications Figure 02 humanoid robots come equipped with highly sophisticated features that enable them to perform complex tasks traditionally handled by humans. With advanced sensors, AI-driven cognitive functions, and agile movement capabilities, these robots can seamlessly navigate and adapt to dynamic human environments. This innovation enhances their usability across multiple applications. Use Cases and Practical Applications The potential use cases for Figure 02 robots are vast, ranging from automating tasks in manufacturing and logistics to providing support in healthcare and customer service environments. Their ability to integrate into existing human workflows suggests a promising future for increased efficiency and productivity. Market Trends and Predictions The deployment of Figure 02 robots marks the beginning of an increasing trend towards robotics in daily operations. The global robotics market is predicted to experience significant growth, propelled by the demand for automation and AI-enhanced solutions. As industries seek to optimize operations, humanoid robots like those from Figure AI are expected to become more commonplace. Pros and Cons of Humanoid Robots # Pros: – Enhanced Efficiency : Robots can handle repetitive or dangerous tasks with precision, improving workplace safety and task efficiency. – Continuous Operation : Unlike humans, robots can work without breaks, maximizing productivity. – Flexible Deployment : With adaptive learning algorithms, robots can be updated for various tasks and environments. # Cons: – High Initial Investment : The technology and customization required can be expensive. – Integration Challenges : Adapting existing systems to work seamlessly with robots may present challenges. – Ethical Considerations : Increased automation raises questions about workforce displacement and job security. Future Innovations and Security Aspects Figure AI is committed to the continual advancement of robotic technology, aiming to enhance security alongside functionality. Ensuring that robots operate safely alongside humans involves ongoing improvements in AI ethics, data security, and operational safety protocols. Conclusion The successful deployment of Figure AI’s Figure 02 humanoid robots is a pivotal moment in the robotics industry, heralding a new era of innovation and integration. As these technologies evolve, they promise to redefine the capabilities of machines in society, offering improved workflows and productivity across sectors. For more information on robotics innovations, visit Figure AI .NEW YORK (AP) — Free agent pitchers Luis Gabriel Moreno and Alejandro Crisostomo were suspended for 80 games each by Major League Baseball on Friday following positive tests for performance-enhancing substances under the minor league drug program. Moreno tested positive for Nandrolone, and Crisostomo tested positive for Boldenone and Nandrolone, the commissioner’s office said. A 26-year-old right-hander, Moreno was released by the New York Mets’ Class A Brooklyn Cyclones on Tuesday. He was 5-1 with a 5.33 ERA in 12 relief appearances this season for Brooklyn after spending 2016-23 in the San Francisco Giants organization. Crisostomo, a 24-year-old right-hander, was released by Minnesota on Aug. 24 after going 0-1 with a 7.13 ERA this year with the Florida Complex League Twins. He signed with Boston in 2017, spent 2018 in the Dominican Summer League with the Red Sox, then signed with Minnesota and spent 2023 with the Twins DSL team. Nineteen players have been suspended this year for positive drug tests, including eight under the minor league program and nine under the new program for minor league players assigned outside the United States and Canada. Two players have been suspended this year under the major league drug program. Noelvi Marté , a 22-year-old infielder who is the Cincinnati Reds’ top prospect, missed the first 80 games following a positive test for boldenone. Toronto Blue Jays infielder Orelvis Martínez was suspended for 80 games on June 23 following a positive test for the performance-enhancing drug clomiphene, an announcement made two days after his major league debut . ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb The Associated PressJEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — “My Driver and I” was supposed to be made in 2016, but was scuttled amid Eight years later, the landscape for film in the kingdom looks much different — and the star of “My Driver and I” now has an award. Roula Dakheelallah was named the winner of the Chopard Emerging Saudi Talent award at on Thursday. The award — and the glitzy festival itself — is a sign of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to shaping a new film industry. “My heart is attached to cinema and art; I have always dreamed of a moment like this,” Dakheelallah, who still works a 9-5 job, told The Associated Press before the awards ceremony. “I used to work in voluntary films and help my friends in the field, but this is my first big role in a film.” The reopening of cinemas in 2018 marked a cultural turning point for Saudi Arabia, an absolute monarchy that had instituted the ban 35 years before, under the influence of ultraconservative religious authorities. It has since invested heavily in a native film industry by building theaters and launching programs to support local filmmakers through grants and training. The Red Sea International Film Festival was launched just a year later, part of an attempt to expand Saudi influence into films, gaming, sports and other cultural fields. Activists have decried the investments as whitewashing the kingdom’s human rights record as it tightly controls speech and remains one of the world’s top executioners. With FIFA awarding to Saudi Arabia this week, with the London-based rights group ALQST, said Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman “has really managed to create this bubble where people only see entertainment and they don’t see the reality on the ground.” These efforts are part of unveiled in 2016 to ease the economy’s dependence on oil. As part of it, Saudi Arabia plans to construct 350 cinemas with over 2,500 movie screens — by this past April, across 22 cities, it already had 66 cinemas showing movies from the local film industry, as well as Hollywood and Bollywood. (The Red Sea International Film Festival attracts a host of talent from the latter industries, with and also picking up awards Thursday.) The country’s General Entertainment Authority last month opened Al Hisn Studios on the outskirts of Riyadh. As one of the largest such production hubs in the Middle East, it not only includes several film studios but also a production village with workshops for carpentry, blacksmithing and fashion tailoring. “These facilities, when they exist, will stimulate filmmakers,” said Saudi actor Mohammed Elshehri. “Today, no writer or director has an excuse to imagine and say, ‘I cannot implement my imagination.’” The facilities are one part of the equation — the content itself is another. One of the major players in transforming Saudi filmmaking has been founded in 2011 that began as a YouTube channel and quickly became a trailblazer. Producing high-quality digital content such as short films, comedy sketches and series, Telfaz11 offered fresh perspectives on Saudi and regional issues. In 2020, Telfaz11 to produce original content for the streaming giant. The result has been movies that demonstrate an evolution on the storytelling level, tackling topics that were once off-limits and sensitive to the public like secret nightlife in “Mandoob” (“Night Courier”) and changing social norms in “Naga.” “I think we tell our stories in a very simple way, and that’s what reaches the world,” Elshehri says of the changing shift. “When you tell your story in a natural way without any affectation, it will reach every person.” But the films were not without their critics, drawing mixed reaction. Social media discoursed ranged from pleasure that Saudi film were tackling such topics to anger over how the films reflected conservative society. As Hana Al-Omair, a Saudi writer and director, points out, there are still many stories left untold. “We certainly have a long time ahead of us before we can tell the Saudi narrative as it should be,” she said, acknowledging that there are still barriers and rampant censorship. “The Goat Life,” a Malayalam-language movie about an Indian man forced to work without pay in Saudi Arabia, is not available on Netflix’s platform in the country. Movies that explore political topics or LGBTQ+ stories are essentially out of the question. Even “My Driver and I,” featured at the Red Sea festival alongside 11 other Saudi feature-length films, was initially too controversial. It centers on a Sudanese man in Jeddah, living away from his own daughter, who feels responsible for the girl he drives as her parents are absent. It was initially blocked from being made because of the relationship between the girl and the driver, filmmaker Ahd Kamel has said, even though it’s not a romantic relationship. Now in 2024, the film is a success story — a symbol of the Saudi film industry’s evolution as well as the growing role of women like Kamel behind the camera and Dakheelallah in front of it. “I see the change in Saudi cinema, a very beautiful change and it is moving at a wonderful speed. In my opinion, we do not need to rush,” Dakheelallah said. “We need to guide the truth of the artistic movement that is happening in Saudi Arabia.” Baraa Anwer, The Associated Press
From a chef’s memoir to a food crime novel: Five delicious food writing classics for a foodie
Huntington Bancshares Incorporated ( NASDAQ:HBANL – Get Free Report ) announced a quarterly dividend on Thursday, October 17th, Wall Street Journal reports. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 1st will be paid a dividend of 0.4298 per share on Wednesday, January 15th. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.62%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 31st. Huntington Bancshares Stock Performance Shares of NASDAQ HBANL opened at $25.95 on Friday. Huntington Bancshares has a 52-week low of $23.62 and a 52-week high of $26.61. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $26.06 and a 200 day moving average price of $25.57. Huntington Bancshares Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Huntington Bancshares Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Huntington Bancshares and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .AP Trending SummaryBrief at 6:06 p.m. ESTAustralia dumps plan for fines for social media giants enabling misinformation